Dear NAACP:
What is this.
If y’all don’t start getting serious about doing some activities for the direct benefit of the “colored people,” I am going to metaphorically shit a brick and then symbolically throw it at your head.
Y’all could be filling up that convention time with health care initiative talk. Black-on-black crime talk. Drug talk. Media representation talk. Send out a SWAT team for I Love New York! I won’t even complain! Community re-education talk. Civic leadership talk. Hell, y’all can even gossip about Bruce Gordon if y’all wanna. I’m still mad y’all chased him away, but whatever! It’s better than this funeral idea! Y’all gettin’ fresh with the blackfolk. This ain’t cute. People are dyin’ and barely livin’ and y’all sittin’ around playin’ make-pretend.
A little less than half a milligram of love,
Sylvia
P.S. White folk and black folk don’t even need the word “n*gger” anymore. You call somebody a “nappy-headed ho” and you know EXACTLY what they talkin’ about. Y’all ain’t stoppin’ racist expression. You gonna bury Merriam-Webster? Voiceboxes? Photoshop? Sit y’all asses down and come up with some hardline plans, plz-k-thx-bai.
I actually think that its a postive step and its making a statement that the African Diaspora will no longer tolerate the N-word and that it is better for us if it drops out of our vocabulary. Just because the NAACP is working on this doesn’t mean that they aren’t working on other things at the same time. I hear a lot of talk about what these groups should focus on but I don’t hear much about how they are supposed to convince people, politicians, and the government to change anything. Are they supposed to do boycotts (when, where, of what, how are they going to get people to boycott), are they going to buy start their own television station, are they going to kidnap someone, run for president? Its nice to talk about what people should focus on but maybe its time to start reading up about activism, strategies, actions that have worked in the past and deciding what actions may work for us. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton are Black leaders because we let them speak for us and lead us even though we didn’t pick them. So pick some leaders and help them to do what we want them to do. We need history, information, strategy, plans, and ACTION already. We need to do something, ANYTHING! One can define insanity by constantly doing the same thing and expecting different results. Do something different! Think out of the box and do something different!
I think that the NAACP is being creative and doing something different. You heard about the funeral, I have heard about it, and many other people have. So are they not drawing media attention towards Black people and what they believe in? Before Imus what was the last NAACP action you paid attention to? They are making noise and getting attention and making news which is more that I have done or most of us have done. In my opinion if you don’t like a leader find a new one, if the leader doesn’t leave then form another group and choose a new leader. They are volunteers and we criticize them to death. If they both dropped everything just wait and hear how people will complain about that. Symbolic gestures and precedents are sometimes very powerful so maybe it would help if we looked at what they do well instead of focusing on what we don’t like because I don’t see any alternative people who are able to get media attention time after time the way they do.
Enough with this helpless mentality of waiting for people to do things for us. We can just get up and do it ourselves if we learn how to do for ourselves.
Okay, here are some free online examples of how to be an activist so that we can start coming up with plans that we can act on.
The MoveOn family of organizations brings real Americans back into the political process. With over 3.3 million members across America – from carpenters to stay-at-home moms to business leaders – we work together to realize the progressive promise of our country. MoveOn is a service – a way for busy but concerned citizens to find their political voice in a system dominated by big money and big media. http://www.moveon.org/
Here is a book about how to be an activist in your spare time http://www.sierraclub.ca/national/activist-how-to/index.html
Here is a list of recommendations for how to be an activist. http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/education/activist.html and here are some more http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/191800/how_to_be_an_activist_and_change_your.html
and some more http://protest.net/activists_handbook/
Come on lets get started and planning!
A funeral for the N-word? I see what they are trying to do but they need to attack where it hurts. In the guts of the misogynist rappers. In the eyes of issues that are ripping black people apart – The N word is a big issue of course but it is one that the entire society will need time to move on with and it is one of an individual choice. A funeral might not be enough to change that. How about going on the radio more or doing more TV shows? Maybe another Oprah episode. Exposure needs to be constant for its’ eradication.
By focusing on other things and using that PR muscle to tell us what they’re doing instead of calling attention to a symbolic funeral? Advocacy in government? Community outreach? There are a lot of black folk who think the NAACP, besides the legal work that doesn’t get enough hype, is an obsolete organization when it comes to the priorities of African-Americans. And learning about these symbolic funerals isn’t helping that perception.
They can do any of those things, which is what I think you’re suggesting — though I don’t know about the kidnapping.
Well, that’s mostly what this think tank is for, no? To figure out what works, past and present, and the best ways to implement those strategies.
I’d say they represent a different generation of leadership; I will say that after the Don Imus incident, many other black leaders who work on initiatives were called to the forefront — even a few pockets of black women. I also think it’s more of an issue of media familiarity — if something goes down in the black community, the media contacts those two people for a statement.
You see, I don’t think the problem is a lack of leaders, necessarily — I think there may be an issue with the leader/flock dynamic. We need more coordination. Quite frankly, if the NAACP kept doing its thing the way it does it, and we had other strong organizations picking up the slack for other issues with name recognition and a strong reputation for getting things done (and that doesn’t necessarily take years), I think things would work out okay. But we need to take steps in that direction, and sometimes I think these older organizations want a stranglehold on the black voice.
They’re drawing media attention to their funeral… And I don’t think all black people believe the same things about n*gger. I think we let the wrong group frame the debate about its uses and its connotations.
The Shaquanda Cotton incident in Paris, Texas. The president of the NAACP chapter down there left comments in my entry leading to articles from the local newspaper in Paris and statements given by the District Attorney (sometimes blatantly lying) about Shaquanda Cotton’s case. I think she may have made a few rounds around the Afrosphere trying to get people more informed about the case after the Chicago Tribune brought it to the fore.
And around this point, I’d rather see an article in USAToday about Ron and Roy Pettaway. These stories are quickly turning into the “just another police shooting; just another black person in jail” stories, unless there are extraordinary circumstances involved. We have to get people talking before the extraordinary circumstances develop.
Emphasis added.
Sometimes I think that’s less from what the organization’s actually doing and more from what the mainstream media would like to focus its attention on. Like Jackson and Sharpton are the go-to “black spokespersons,” the NAACP is the go-to “black organization.” And I think you’re right; we do need to diversify our portfolios of people moving and shaking.
This is true, but I think we need to stop viewing all criticism of leadership in this vein of “well, what are youuuuu doing?” Everyone’s not going to be satisfied; we know this. But I can tell you what I’m doing — I’m pointing out what I think you’re not doing or what you may be doing that I have no knowledge of. If we keep lumping all critics — even constructive critics — as haters, we’re not going to find new plans. We’ll keep drilling the old ones until we’re in a deep ditch.
Less in their guts and more in their bosses’ bank accounts. Honestly, black people have been calling other black people n*gger for a long, long time. The problem is the corporatized cool of saying it and attempt to full-on isolate it from all its history, and to whom these rappers are marketed. And black misogyny is also an old problem that’s larger than the music and n*gger.
Radio and TV campaigns giving histories of n*gger, combined with attempts to get through to rappers and black industry execs that they can switch out n*gger just like they can switch out Cristal until people get that history (*cough cough cough*), would probably do wonders for at least toning down n*gger. ‘Cause I don’t think it can be completely stopped. And maybe that’s a good thing. N*gger is less of a problem in itself and more of a symbol of many problems. So maybe it’ll be easier to trash it or to omit it when those other problems are addressed.
And pleeeeeeease, no Oprah yet! lol That is…unless she reads that Randall Kennedy book in her book club…
I am so happy to read the sistas viewpoints on what’s going on here in the Afrosphear.
Bronze Trinity great suggestions. I’ve taken some notes. I have a meeting this afternoon and I am going to try to get a workshop going on about the issues Sylvia posted here.
Yes Sylvia.
Slyvia I hear you. You need to call fake leadership out for being disconnected to solving the problem. I do it quite a bit myself. But, if change is going to come, I have to be willing to do better. Lots of folks say they are leaders but they are not. I believe that is what Bruce Gordon was doing and saying with the Urban League.
However, we (those in the Afrosphear) can’t afford to sit on the sideline watching these individuals destroy organization. We have to to take over the organization, gut them and implement changes that will impact our community. You are so right Bronze Trinity, what are we waiting on?
First is growing the membership. And from the membership will come great ideas. Those who follow tradition and unable to adapt to change may still have something to contribute take that but don’t discard, recycle and discard that which can not be used.
Second, the plan. The plan will place us together on an agenda to move on what is harming our community.
Finally, I see so much potential in this posting. So let me throw this one out at you. I would like to create a small store ran by youth in a neighborhood where there are no grocery stores. This will teach youth to think outside the box and move toward solving their own problems and meeting their own needs.
Auelia I feel you, as Asabagna would say. But I am who I say I am. The N word is just a foolish trick to put folks back in a place. I am. no more no less. I don’t have time to play with folks with limited expectations who only want to call me out of my name.
.
Peace sistas, keep writing..you make me proud
this “funeral” is what they call in the business “low hanging fruit”! this is something to grab on to when you really have NOTHING else within your grasp. this “funeral” is good PR and gets you in the newspaper, BUT it does nothing to address the ills of the Black community that Sylvia so eloquently lays out.
although, the “funeral” is not a bad thing, this action will ring hollow if it is not followed by more substantial action and leadership by the NAACP!
Excellent post Sylvia if I had thought to write a post like this it would have been extremely caustic and would have included black churches that are living up to thier potential as it relates to the leadership they provide and the advice they give.
I to believe that the black community has every right and even an obligation to call out leadership that is not focusing on the issue of greatest concern to black people the most.
On this issue specifically I think thier funeral for the N word is symbolic and a waste of time because I dont think a funeral for the N word will not influence 1 person to stop using that word.
Also we have serious issues of
Black on Black crime
No health care for millions of black folk
An aids crisis in black america ect.
I understand that Naacp considers its advocacy group but thier are more pressing and urgen needs that black have that require more than just urgency.
When I listened to Bruce Gordon on the Tavis Smiley and Al Sharpton shows he sounded like he was making a very strong argument to me. He mentioned things like education and aids as things that the Naacp should be focusing more energy and attention on.
Mr. Gordon implied the same thing that I have heard others say about the Naacp and that is they are using tactics and focusing on issues that are not the most urgent in our community.
This is why I believe that thier should be an orginizatioin to monitors and advises all of our black leadership and orginizations from the Naacp to the Church to stay on message about our most urgent problems because the they work for us not the other way around.
But I do understand and agree with Bronze Trinity’s sentiment that it is time for us to get down and bring forth positive changes in our communities on individual and grassroots levels.
I meant to say:
” Excellent post Sylvia if I had thought to write a post like this it would have been extremely caustic and would have included black churches that are NOT living up to thier potential as it relates to the leadership they provide and the advice they give.
“Finally, I see so much potential in this posting. So let me throw this one out at you. I would like to create a small store ran by youth in a neighborhood where there are no grocery stores. This will teach youth to think outside the box and move toward solving their own problems and meeting their own needs.”
Credo that sounds like a cooperative! There are many of them. People in the community invest and work in the store so they are like shareholders. It can be done and it has been done many times before so with hard work you can pull it off.
Economic self-reliance for the win.
As an outsider viewing the efforts (primarily the lack of or often mis-directed) of the NAACP in recent years, I am one of those Black folks you mentioned who think that it is “an obsolete organization when it comes to the priorities of African-Americans… and learning about these symbolic funerals isn’t helping that perception.” The circumstances around the dismissal of Bruce Gordon and this current symbolic “funeral” for the N-word DOES lead one to want to “metaphorically shit a brick and then symbolically throw it at their head”. This symbolic gesture is really symbolic of their lack of focus and vision. They have become outdated, out of touch and out of their mind! As you stated Sylvia, there is much more relevant issues they could be discussing and devising strategies to combat.
I agree with you that the problem isn’t necessarily a lack of leadership. More coordination is needed and also people taking more responsibility and being accountable for what they do or not do. I am not one who thinks that you cannot provide constructive criticism (or ask the hard questions) to perceived or real leaders (leadership). Just because they are doing “something” doesn’t mean that I cannot question their tactics and/or the sincerity of their commitment; or that I have to justify my criticism by stating what I’m doing. However criticism without some ideas for strategies or solutions to tackle the problem, makes it a futile process…. more like a merry go-round. And as you remind us: “Well that’s mostly what this think tank is for, no? To figure out what works, past and present, and the best ways to implement those strategies.” I like the online examples by Bronze Trinity of how one can become involved.
Let me suggest a strategy that may make the efforts of the NAACP more relevant to it’s “colored” constituents. Since it’s strength is in legal work, why not bring a class action suit against gun manufacturers and the record industry for violating the constitutional and civil of African Americans. Various states have taken the tobacco and the gun industry to court to get civil compensation for health care costs associated with the negative effects and repercussions from these industries. The gun industry indiscriminately provides the tools which prevents the constitutional right for the “pursuit of happiness” in certain neighbourhoods. While the record industry provides the incentive (monetary) for rappers to degrade women and glorify violence and is therefore aiding, abetting and conspiring to again deny certain citizens of the USA of their constitutional rights and the civil rights of Black women and Black males. Now this may sound far-fetched and ridiculous, but it would certainly start a nationwide discussion and assessment on who is really benefiting and suffering from the merchandise being produced, advertised and sold by these industries. They could also lobby for the CBC and other so-called progressive white legislators to hold congressional and/or senate hearings on the effect of these industries on American society in general and the African-American community in particular.
Just a couple ideas from this crazy Canuck!
Ha, Asa, that is not crazy in the slightest. If the NAACP organized and executed a great symbolic lawsuit against corporations that fuel black marginalization, that would be an excellent step in the right direction — even if the lawsuit was unsuccessful. We need a catalyst to keep the attention on solving racial problems, and the idea of this funeral — for me, at least — has the opposite effect. It’s burying a problem; it’s giving a message of the organization washing its hands of the situation. And I’m not sure if that’s the right message to give.
Anyway, I may be overreacting because of some personal things going on in my life right now, but I didn’t write this entry just to stir shit against the NAACP. I wanted to spark some conversation about what’s right and what’s wrong about this action — though I do admit I mostly saw bad things rather than good things. But I think it can only help our development if we had a few reminders of what not to do as we had reminders of what to do. Sorry if the suggestions for alternatives weren’t necessarily concrete.
Sylvia… for what it’s worth…. I don’t think you were overreacting in the slightest! We need to call out/question the validity and motives of these actions and the rationality of the leadership. If you hadn’t brought it to my attention, I wouldn’t have known that this symbolic ridiculousness was going on!
I also like your assessment that the idea of the “funeral” has the real effect of burying the problem…. washing their hands of the situation. Well unfortunately for them, the AfroSpear has a point, which we use to dig up and expose this sh*t!
Overview
The NAACP recognizes that when it comes to forming ideas and establishing norms, nothing is more influential than the images and concepts delivered into our lives on a daily basis by radio, television, film and the Internet. Those that are given access to the public through mainstream media must be put on notice that they have everything to lose by spewing racist ideas and rants. In addition, we equally recognize the need for balance within the African American community in regards to what music, film, and media we deem acceptable in our community.
The STOP Campaign is an initiative of the NAACP Youth & College Division that seeks to “STOP” the demeaning images of African Americans in the media, particularly with respect to the portrayal of African American women. Images reflected in songs like “I Was Getting Some…” and music videos that show half-dressed women being objectified by men.
In addition, due to the overwhelming number of racially disrespectful incidents that have occurred recently, the STOP Campaign is urgently necessary. Some of these recent incidents include:
* Don Imus, radio talk show host, referring to the Rutgers University’s Women’s Basketball Team as “nappy headed hoes”.
* Television actor Michael Richards goes on a tirade using the n-word at a comedy club in Los Angeles.
Racial incidents on college campuses such as Clemson University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Connecticut, University of Texas-Austin and Texas A&M University where white students dressed in stereotypical African American images and wore black face makeup.
There is no better time than today for us to call for a
STOP in our community:
* STOP Defaming Our Women… by respecting all African American Women and not describing them in profane and derogatory terms
* STOP Degrading Our Community… by not supporting hurtful images that portray negative images of the African American community
* STOP Denigrating Our History… by not supporting words and media that diminishes our proud history and insults our ancestors
* STOP Accepting Disrespect… by not patronizing companies and artists that put forth demeaning and disrespectful images in our community
* START Standing Up… by standing up against anyone who diminishes the capacity of young people
* START the Diversity… by supporting balance and diversity of content in the entertainment industry to create positive role models for young people and by demanding more African Americans and other people of color in decision making positions in the entertainment industry
The campaign was promoted on the front page of the NAACP Website. Take a visit and then consider whether the NAACP only wants to focus on the funeral or if they are working on many other things.
News results for funeral for the “N” word
News results for NAACP Stop Campaign
If you compare the mainstream media coverage for the funeral against the coverage for the STOP Campaign, it paints a different picture.
Plus, it gets into the logistics of how the organization is framing this debate and how, from the news and media coverage, the organization work is reflected.
As of now, the STOP Campaign is a pledge, a flyer, and a list of very great but vague goals. Much like the funeral idea — it is a great but vague idea that hasn’t hit to the heart of the problem. Perhaps I’m being hard on them with saying that because it appears the STOP Campaign has been launched fairly recently. But considering the national headquarters is in my backyard, I’ll get in contact with them and see what’s brewing in the future.
I still don’t see how that diminishes my point because if you look at the mainstream coverage for the funeral, there’s very little mention of the STOP campaign — only a funeral. Specifically, if you look at the USA Today coverage, that’s all it calls attention to in the article.
So, as I said earlier:
So, the media looks at a Black organization and instead of focusing on the important issues and projects the group is working on they choose to only talk about one….So in this case the blame goes on the NAACP and not on the media? I’m thinking maybe the media picked up on this because they thought that it would be interesting to people due to recent events. I doubt they read about it on the NAACP website or that they even visited the site. I think the NAACP also makes a point in the Stop Campaign description that the media does not provide balanced and diverse coverage. So if the mainstream doesn’t write about other NAACP projects then that prooves they are not trying to make things better for Black people?
I just really don’t get the point of criticizing and denouncing people’s attempts to help Black people especially the point of focusing on this one thing. I thought that we were trying to come up with ways to help Black people and that the Afrospear was ready to strike…Can you see how this is frustrating? I have presented the Stop Campaign that I would like the Afrospear to support and all immediately you criticize it? I also posted links to sites about activism and I have yet to hear that anyone took a little bit of time to read them (I have). Really is this just a place to complain or are we going to do something? Seriously. Everyone please take 10 minutes to brainstorm actions that we can take ASAP to help change things and please read a little bit about activism. Some of the links I provided list things that stand in the way of activism and I hope that we don’t get stuck because of them.
If “the STOP Campaign is a pledge, a flyer, and a list of very great but vague goals. Much like the funeral idea — it is a great but vague idea that hasn’t hit to the heart of the problem.” Please give us some actions that will hit to the heart of the problem. Create some ideas instead of just shooting them down because othewise nothing will change.
“I still don’t see how that diminishes my point because if you look at the mainstream coverage for the funeral, there’s very little mention of the STOP campaign — only a funeral. Specifically, if you look at the USA Today coverage, that’s all it calls attention to.” Okay, did the NAACP author the article? Did they write it? Then how can you put all of the blame on them for what the mainstream biased media writes? It might help if instead of reading what the media writes we go to the source. Secondhand information is ALWAYS flawed and biased unless it is presented verbatim. Don’t you think that the media and the Euro-American establishment benefits from presenting only negative or occasional things about Black leaders. I think in this case they have been very effective in convincing people that the NAACP doesn’t do much and is ineffective because you have swallowed that message whole! I’m sure they are probably laughing their heads off about how good they are at causing Black people to be inactive and about how they have convinced Black people that they cannot organize and that they have bad leaders.
Have any of you written to the NAACP to give them your suggestions? Well here’s the link to their contact page. Do I have to make it any easier for you to do something?
Okay, I’m going to stop and go easier on you Sylvia because you are only 21.
FYI, the definition of a Think Tank
# an organization or group of experts researching and advising on issues of society, science, technology, industry, or business. trade barrier: a condition imposed by a government to limit free exchange of goods internationally.
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/Glossary/glossary-T.htm
# An informal term referring to an organization or organizational segment entrusted with the sole function of research.
http://www.indiainfoline.com/bisc/jmht.html
# a company that does research for hire and issues reports on the implications
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
# A think tank is a group of individuals dedicated to high-level synergistic research on a variety of subjects, usually in military laboratories, corporations, or other institutions. Usually this term refers specifically to organizations which support theorists and intellectuals who endeavor to produce analysis or policy recommendations.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_tank
First, please don’t inform me that you’re lightening or worsening any attacks on me (because this has transformed gradually into an attack on me) because of my age. Appreciate it.
Second, as I’ve mentioned more than once in my comments, this post played more of an evaluative function. The purpose of bringing up the NAACP’s funeral was to discuss the implications of the action and to discuss its coverage, which we’re doing. Perhaps my error was presenting the information in a humorous way.
Third, I have read the links; I am unsure of the actions of the others in the circle. Perhaps the most significant guidance I have received in relation to this particular post is from the origins of MoveOn.org. Thank you for providing them.
So far, the ideas I have considered deals more with holding record companies and radio stations accountable. Holding advertisers and merchandisers who capitalize on the racist and sexist nature of hip-hop accountable. For the AfroSpear specifically, our best way to help in managing this accountability would perhaps work best in the form of an online petition. MoveOn.org’s initiative to get people thinking about handling the problems as events unfolded proactively rather than weaving itself together reactively (which is what it feels the NAACP is doing) is a good model because it kicked off with a petition as well.
The petition’s message to record companies should focus more on the music it is endorsing and its damage to perceptions of African-American culture. We need to do research on which companies are responsible for churning out the worst racist and misogynistic artists. From there, the petition should send a message that these companies should either host initiatives in the larger mainstream community to help end the prevalence of gang violence and drug trafficking. These companies should use the muscle they have to back positive hip-hop artists. Until these companies begin doing more evaluation of its music’s social effects rather than fattening its pockets, we should boycott their products and encourage others to do so.
A separate petition to the radio station corporations should focus on what’s given attention and radio play on their popular music stations — same initiatives to incorporate positive hip-hop artists. However, a new component of segments with hip-hop intellectuals and community organizations facing the consequences of glorified gangster and drug culture also should take place over the mainwaves, with more prominence. More resources should be developed to allow grassroots organizations more access to radio time and advertising. Also, stricter guidelines for radio DJs and announcers so that they remain conscious of their racist and sexist remarks towards ALL races. This petition would also challenge these stations with boycotts and more resources pointing to events like community block parties with homegrown music, independent distribution of positive music, more attention to internet and satellite radio, and a renewed zest in listening to its sponsors and advertisers who respond directly to our concerns with lessened endorsements.
Along with these petitions, we should work on assembling concrete examples of damaging rap songs and artists directly under the record companies’ control and marketing; we should also work on more engagement with communities — both young people and older people — about the measures we can take to ensure black folk know their options and have access to helpful resources.
In addition to the AfroSpear composing databases of what black people online are saying, we need more research and attention geared towards black people offline are doing — scholarship programs, community outreach programs for health care, fundraising for local black empowerment organizations. For example, on the blog that Asabagna linked, “What About Our Daughters?”, the two most recent posts there discuss initiatives by Essence Magazine to promote writing and marketing of positive hip-hop, as well as an organization called Take Our Music Forward that is hosting a rally a couple of weeks from now, directly challenging the corporate tactics of highlighting and marketing a damaging product of music. We should call more attention to these initiatives on our blogs. Also, we should make mention of the efforts in our petition to let our signers and these companies know that our efforts are already underway.
I hope that in light of the proposals I’ve suggested and the other initiatives that have begun, you are beginning to notice how the problem does not rest solely with the mainstream media or solely with the NAACP. There are holes on both sides, and we need to find the organizations that fill these holes. With that said, I still plan on following up with the NAACP on this campaign; I believe I mentioned that in my previous comment.
Also, so we can be fully clear on where I’m coming from and where this is frustrating for me, this project embarked to encourage voices — all voices — to speak. This project is not meant to function as a traditional think tank. Suffice it to say, if you or others have ideas and initiatives to complement anything that I or anyone else highlights, by all means, share them. This isn’t a six-pony show. And as you’ve mentioned earlier, “Enough with this helpless mentality of waiting for people to do things for us. We can just get up and do it ourselves if we learn how to do for ourselves.” I didn’t formulate this post and put it out on this blog in a vacuum. Perhaps, like I mentioned earlier, I shouldn’t have framed it in a humorous light.
Though I think we can still focus on finding alternatives and still write to corporations signing the artists, a petition has already started circulating to BET, MTV, VH1, and mainstream radio.
http://www.petitiononline.com/hiphop1/petition.html
From here.
Perhaps we need to make sure other bloggers in the AfroSphere know of it and can promote it?
Wow. I tried to appologize because I’m a few years older than you and I thought that I might know a bit more than you so I didn’t want to push. This site is not shaping up to be what I expected. Is this a think tank or a blog? Am I wrong to presume that it is a think tank because of the title? I don’t know, whatever… If any of you are interested in some things that we can do right now then please come and visit me. I think I’m going to just do my own thing for a while until someone asks me to participate in something. Good luck to you Sylvia.
When I say it’s not intended to function as a traditional think tank, I meant that the tactics and ways people can bring attention to situations and process ideas are capable of working differently. Not that anyone would not take action now, not that this would function as a traditional blog. I’m really not sure where you’re coming from now, and I’m trying to understand, but it seems as if we’re speaking on two different planes. And I really would not like for you to leave because I appreciate your contributions.
Hold on a minute. This think tank/blog is a place where we are supposed to suggest, critique, brainstorm, plan and act on behalf of African people in the Diaspora.
This “ACTION” oriented impulse in us, while understandable, can be self-defeating – if we jump out with a half-baked, feelgood program. A think tank moves on its on time schedule. It can’t rush by its nature.
Sure, “let’s do something real quick, without deep reflection sounds good. Let’s just jump out there and look as if we are doing something relevant, when it may just be symbolic and thus, ineffectual.” Does that action move forward an agenda of true liberation? We must ask these questions. The NAACP won’t.
We have to take our time and be a real think tank which means a couple of things: we take our time, we digest, we discuss, we look more deeply than we ever have, look at the context within which we act/react, we allow the many varied voices in the AfroSpear to speak. And then we create a REAL strategy of liberation.
Now, there’s a time for symbolism and there’s a time for action directed at changing a specific condition. There’s a time for deliberation and there’s a time for critique. But to me a think tank has to put it all together, see the big picture AND the underneath and craft strategies that take all of that shit into account.
This site has been up for all of, what, three weeks?! We need to begin making commitments to act when we’ve just begun receiving suggestions/ideas?! Let’s all of us take a deep breath. I’m sure many of us are engaged in action. I believe most of us mean well. But the AfroSpear is about gleaning – with the assistance of its diverse membership – “answers that answer and solutions that solve.”
Honestly, I think this site is doing EXACTLY what we meant it to do. The debate between Sylvia and BT is a perfect example.
“Think tank”, “blog”, whatever; we are exchanging ideas and that’s the important thing.
BT, let’s not jump ship before we even set sail. I have purposely tried to keep a low profile because I know that I can be a little harsh in my writing, and this is exactly what I didn’t want to see happening. (People jumping ship)
So let’s debate, throw around ideas, agree, disagree, and come up with some positive ideas to uplift our race TOGETHER.
Peace.
wow this is interesting. Interesting because I worked with some young students today. I was the monitor of groups working together.
Some students did not do well working in groups. I had to share with them each person had a voice. And roles had to be shared in order for each voice to be heard. I probably had three out of six groups not working.
I found the same sex groups worked well together. I found mixed group with an imbalance did not work well together. Group consisted of 4-6 people. I called each person from the three groups and explain they had a task and they needed to work as a group, it did not matter that they did not like the idea coming from a member, it was to be incorporated into the group project.
Once the project was completed the next day, they would have to determine what they did not like as a group and agree to get rid of it. If the group failed to follow the instruction, the person who felt he or she could not work with the group could request to be moved to another group. but they would have to spend the first day working with the oppressive group.
Bronze Trinity has crafted great projects, and received little support in the afrosphear. She created a petition that should have been on every blogger post, this is my opinion.
Bronze Trinity has created links to make it convenience for whatever information she find that will support the Afrosphear.
Bronze Trinity has created a newspaper that still has me smiling everytime I click on the page.
Bronze Trinity is a doer. What a great talent among the afrosphear. The afrosphear has enough talent to support where Bronze Trinity is going..and it is obvious she has a passion.
For all the great writers, that energy could be used to support Bronze Trinity and where she is going. Bronze Trinity sure has committed and supported the afrosphear.
Action has been discussed. Eddie Griffin has a blog based on action toward those who have been touched by the criminal justice system.
Francis Holland states we are to build the afrosphear by creating and connecting more blogs.
Projects have been put forth and these projects need to be supported and moved on by the afrosphear. If not I would like to know the reason why they are not being supported?
Jared posted on this blog asking questions about the agenda. Afrosphears have several projects that can be fully developed and placed in the media.
I hope that the afrosphear go over to Bronze Trinity and began to help her in the many projects that she has suggested for the afrosphear. Or at least ask her, what it is that we can do to help?
” I hope that the afrosphear go over to Bronze Trinity and began to help her in the many projects that she has suggested for the afrosphear. Or at least ask her, what it is that we can do to help?”
mark bey: I agree with you on this Credo her pageflakes news page is beautiful and useful. Also you are right she is a doer and she deserves all the support she can get.
I don’t think anyone is saying that Bronze Trinity’s projects and her activism aren’t valuable or aren’t supported by AfroSpear. And I don’t really gather how this post came to a discussion of people’s worth and initiative in the AfroSphere specifically.
I will focus on bringing the activist projects developed by Bronze Trinity and the rest of the AfroSphere to light on here — meaning I will make posts highlighting what’s suggested in the comments and shed light on projects already underway. I’ll also put out the suggestions I’ve come up with.
I’m also really interested in developing that petition idea a la MoveOn.org that she introduced, but that’s going to take more time than a day if we want it to get results and the attention of the black community and beyond. There are two key issues I think we can implement with that idea — contacting record companies and sending a message to President Bush about the Katrina relief effort and the unclaimed aid. I’m sure most people around the AfroSphere have read the Washington Post article about it, and I think that we should mobilize that awareness and keep people’s minds on helping out New Orleans.
I really want us to cooperate together, and it’s distressing me how this post has twisted cooperation through a disagreement that got carried away. So I’m hoping to make time within the next couple of weeks between exams to bridge gaps and get some resources compiled on this page directly related to specific projects. I’m also hoping my fellow correspondents will aid me in this endeavor by assembling and by highlighting what they find.
Credo : I dont think anyone is suggesting at all that BT isnt a doer. Yet these things take time and of course her efforts have been brilliant. But like field negro said, let’s not jump ship even before we have set sail. This initiative is taking good shape but rushing or wanting things to move faster than they are can impede things.
Let’s not let this divide and conquer thing demolish this house.
–A
I just read the comments. I hear you. But sometimes some things do not need to be addressed. It is just noise that you delete and move on to the more important stuff. Bronze Trinity removes the noise and moves on the more important stuff.
Some things will take time other stuff can be moved on and Bronze Trinity is leading the way. Bronze Trinity is not only a doer she is also a leader. My hat goes off to Bronze Trinity on her committment and her drive to move Afrosphear from its inertia.
Go Afrosphear!
So if this conversation is not moving on any discussion of projects or strategies discussion, it is simply each other debating issues. So let’s move on..move on..move on.
” So if this conversation is not moving on any discussion of projects or strategies discussion, it is simply each other debating issues. So let’s move on..move on..move on.”
mark bey: This statement right here should be announced loudly and clearly from the blog mountain top as loud and often as possible